Centaurea plant named ‘Amethyst in snow’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Centaurea  plant named ‘Amethyst in Snow’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely flowering habit; large inflorescences with white-colored ray florets and purple-colored disc florets; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Centaurea montana.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Amethyst in Snow’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofCentaurea plant, botanically known as Centaurea montana, and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘Amethyst in Snow’.

The new Centaurea is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of anunnamed selection of Centaurea montana, not patented. The new Centaureawas discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plantwithin a population of plants of the unnamed selection in May, 2002 in acontrolled environment in Alphen aan den Rijn, The Netherlands. Theselection of this plant was based on its unique inflorescencecoloration.

Asexual reproduction of the new Centaurea by terminal cuttings in acontrolled environment in Alphen aan den Rijn, The Netherlands since2002, has shown that the unique features of this new Centaurea arestable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Amethyst in Snow has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Amethyst in Snow’. Thesecharacteristics in combination distinguish ‘Amethyst in Snow’ as a newand distinct cultivar of Centaurea:

-   -   1. Upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely flowering habit.    -   4. Large inflorescences with white-colored ray florets and        purple-colored disc florets.    -   5. Good garden performance.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Lancaster, Pa., plants of thenew Centaurea differed from plants of the parent selection primarily ininflorescence coloration as plants of the new Centaurea haveblue-colored ray florets with red violet-colored disc florets.

Plants of the new Centaurea can be compared to plants of the Centaureacultivar Gold Bullion, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,865. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in northeastern Texas, plants of thenew Centaurea differed from plants of the cultivar Gold Bullionprimarily in foliage and inflorescence coloration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of thenew Centaurea. These photographs show the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Centaurea.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view oftypical two-year old flowering plants of ‘Amethyst in Snow’ grown in anoutdoor nursery in Lancaster, Pa.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typicalinflorescence of ‘Amethyst in Snow’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The followingobservations and measurements describe plants grown in Lancaster, Pa.during the spring and summer in one-gallon containers in apolyethylene-covered greenhouse and under conditions and practices whichapproximate those generally used in commercial Centaurea production.During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 37° C.and night temperatures averaged 17° C. Measurements and numerical valuesrepresent averages for typical two-year old flowering plants.

-   Botanical classification: Centaurea montana cultivar Amethyst in    Snow.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of an unnamed    selection of Centaurea montana, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About four days at 29° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About six days at 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting, summer.—About 12 days at            29° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting, winter.—About 16 days at            20° C.        -   Root description.—Thick; white in color.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form/growth habit.—Upright, outwardly spreading and            mounding plant habit. Strong and vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 46 cm.        -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 72 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Quantity per plant: Freely branching habit            with about 45 lateral branches developing per plant. Length:            About 42.5 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm. Internode length: About            3.5 cm. Aspect: Upright to outwardly spreading. Strength:            Strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 144A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple; sessile.        -   Length.—About 12.1 cm.        -   Width.—About 2.8 cm.        -   Shape.—Broadly linear.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Decurrent.        -   Margin.—Entire with occasional slight lobing.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper surface: Close to 147A.            Developing foliage, lower surface: More green than 147B.            Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: Close to 147A;            midvein, close to 144A; lateral veins, close to 147A. Fully            expanded foliage, lower surface: close to 147B; midvein,            close to 144A; lateral veins, close to 147B.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Appearance.—Rotate composite inflorescence form;            inflorescences terminal or axillary. Inflorescences            positioned above the foliage. Inflorescences face mostly            upright. Freely flowering habit; about three to five            inflorescences per lateral branch at one time.            Inflorescences not persistent. Inflorescences not fragrant.        -   Time to flower.—Under natural season conditions, plants            flower begin to flower in the late spring and continue to            flower throughout the summer.        -   Post-production longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good            substance for about two to three weeks on the plant.        -   Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 1.25 cm. Diameter: About            1.1 cm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to 147A.        -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 4.75 cm. Depth (height):            About 3.3 cm. Disc diameter: About 1.9 cm. Receptacle            diameter: About 1.3 cm. Receptacle height: About 1.4 cm.        -   Ray florets.—Shape: Roughly spatulate; tubular at the base,            flaring towards the apex into about eight narrow linear            segments. Length: About 2.4 cm. Corolla tube length: About            1.1 cm. Width, base: About 1 mm. Width, apex: About 1.25 cm.            Margin: Entire. Texture: Smooth, glabrous; satiny.            Orientation: Upright to horizontal. Number of ray florets            per inflorescence: About 12 in a single whorl. Color: When            opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 155D;            towards the apex, tinged with close to 77A. When opening and            fully opened, lower surface: Close to 155D; towards the            apex, tinged with close to 77A.        -   Disc florets.—Arrangement: Massed in the center of the            receptacle. Shape: Tubular; apex flaring into five to eight            linear segments. Length: About 2.2 cm. Diameter, base: About            2 mm. Diameter, apex: About 3 mm. Number of disc florets per            inflorescence: About 18. Color, immature and mature: Apex            and mid-section, close to 77A; towards the base, close to            155D; central tube, close to 79A.        -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 18 in about            four whorls. Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 5 mm. Shape:            Narrowly deltoid. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate, fused.            Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth;            glabrous. Color, upper surface: Close to 145A. Color, lower            surface: Close to 147A.        -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 4 cm. Length,            third axillary peduncle: About 10 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright to about 45° from            vertical. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 144A.        -   Reproductive organs (present on disc florets            only).—Androecium: Anther shape: Oblong. Anther length: Less            than 1 mm. Anther color: Close to 155D. Pollen amount: None            observed. Gynoecium: Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma color:            Close to 59A. Style length: About 1.25 cm. Style color:            Towards the base, close to 155D; towards the apex, close to            77A.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Centaurea have not been    shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Centaurea.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Centaurea have been observed    to have good garden performance and tolerate wind, rain and    temperatures ranging from about 0° C. to about 40° C.

1. A new and distinct Centaurea plant named ‘Amethyst in Snow’ asillustrated and described.